Refrigeration apparatus



April 28, 1936. R. F. CASTLE REFRIGERATION APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 20, 1933 7 X Will IIII INVENTOR a/m Jfid A TTORNE y April 28, 1936- R. F. CASTLE REFRIGERATION APPARATUS I 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed July 20, l 933 M ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 28,- 1936 UNITED STATES REFRIGERATION APPARATUS Ralph F. Castle, Kansas City, Mo.,

minor, by

mesne assignments, to Sealzit Corporation, a

corporation of Illinois Application July 20, 1933, Serial-No. 681,292 lZOlalms. (Cl. 220-435) My invention relates to improvements in refrigeration apparatus.

One of the objects of my invention is to provire novel means for holding ice cream cans or similar containers properly spaced from the wall of a refrigerating chamber containing them, which means is adapted to snugly fit cans varying in diameter or irregular in shape, and which is adapted to snugly fit refrigerating chambers of different dimensions, which will exclude the passage of air through the chamber from above the sealing means to the space below the sealing means, which is a non-conductor of heat, which is sanitary and easily cleaned, which will prevent drippings of dispensed material from falling between the cans and the walls of the chamber containing them, which will prevent frosting around the upper edges of the cans, which can be easily and quickly applied to the cans and the refrigerating chamber or as easily and quickly removed therefrom, and which is simple, durable and cheap to make.

The novel features of my invention are hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate my invention.

Fig. 1 is a side view, partly in vertical section and partly in side elevation, of a form of my invention, adapted for use on containers or cans provided with annular peripheral beads adjacent to their upper ends, and shown applied to two cans.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the sealing member shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on'the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a'plan view of my improved sealing member adapted for use on a single can or container having the usual peripheral bead adjacent to its upper end.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing another form of my invention .applied to two cans and having flanges which respectively cover the upper edges of the cans and support the sealing member thereon.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the sealing member shown in Fig. 6. I

Fig. 8 is .a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of another form of my invention adapted for use on a vided with an annular flange resting on the upper edge of the can. i I

Fig.1!) is a section on the line i-l0 of Fig. 9.

Similar characters of reference designate similar parts in the diiferent views.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, I designates arefrigcrating chamber of usual type having a top open: ing 2 and adapted to have resting on its floor two ice cream cans 3 of usual form provided with open single can and protops and having each adjacent to its upper end an annular peripheral flange or bead 4.

designates a sealing member, which is elastic.

and is composed preferably of soft rubber, and which has through it two holes 6 in which the upper ends of the cans 3 are respectively fitted.

The periphery I of the sealing member 5 is relatively thin and very flexible, and, preferably, bevelled so as to snugly fit the inner wall of chamber I even though the latter is irregular. The sealing member 5 is adapted to rest on the flanges or beads 4, and is adapted to snugly fit cans varying in diameter or which have become irregular from hard usage.

Between the holes the upper side of the sealing member 5 is provided with a handle i, preferably integral therewith, and which enables the operator to easily detach the sealing member 5 from the cans, when the latter have been emptied.

If it is desired to reenforce the sealing member around the holes 6, two transversely divided resilient wire rings 8 are embedded in the sealing member and respectively encircle the holes 6, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

After the cans 3 have been placed in the chamber i, the sealing member 5 is mounted thereon with its bevelled periphery fitted against the wall of the chamber I. By reason of the thinness of the outer edge of the sealing member, it will be flexed by and snugly fit against the wall.

By having the sealing member 5 of soft rubber, it will be sanitary. can be easily cleaned, does not injuriously aifect ice cream in the cans, is a poor conductor of heat, so that it will not conduct heat from above the sealing member into the chamber in that part below the sealing member, and by reason of its being an air tight seal, it will eliminate frosting in the compartment bclow the sealing member, thus affording a large saving in refrigeration, which frosting largely increases the cost of refrigeration.

Although the sealing member 5 is yielding and elastic, thus enabling it to. tightly fit the cans and the inner wall of the refrigerating chamber, it will eliminate the spinning and shifting of the cans in the chamber, and the necessity for the operator holding the cans in filling a dipper, when the ice cream is low in the cans, thereby permitting faster service on the part of the dispenser.

In the form shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the sealing member 9 has buta single hole i9, is circular and is provided with a thin bevelled periphery adapted to fit a circular wall of a refrigerating chamber, not shown. It is adapted to be fitted onbut a single can, corresponding to the type of the cans 3, shown in Fig. 1. It iscomposed of elastic material, such as soft rubber; and may have embedded in it encircling the hole in, a,

transversely divided spring wire ring 8, as a reenforcement.

The sealing member 9 is provided on its upper side with an integral handle I by which it can be easily and quickly removed from a can.

In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, the sealing member I I corresponds closely in general structure and form to the sealing member 5, excepting that it is provided around the two can receiving holes I2 respectively with two annular inwardly extending flanges I3 adapted to rest respectively upon the upper edges of two ice cream cans I4, which are similar to the cans 3, but which do not have the encircling beads 4 of the latter.

The cans I4 are adapted to be placed spaced apart in the chamber I of a refrigerating chamher having the top opening 2, and they are held spaced apart and from spinning or twisting by the sealing member II which snugly fits the peripheries of the cans I4 and which has a thin bevelled flexible and elastic periphery which is adapted to snugly fit the inner wall of the chamber I, and which will adapt itself to chambers of different diameters and somewhat irregular surfaces on their inner walls. The sealing member is preferably composed of soft rubber, the same as sealing member 5, and it will prevent the passage of air from above to the under side of the sealing member II between the cans I4 and the inner wall of the chamber I, and will thus prevent frosting of the cans and inner wall of the chamber below the sealing member.

The annular flanges I3 in addition to supporting the sealing member I I, will also prevent frosting of the upper edges of the cans I4.

The upper side of the sealing member I I is provided between the holes I2 with an integral handle I5 by which the sealing member may be easily and quickly lifted from the cans I4.

In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the sealing member Hicorresponds in structure, general form and mode of operation to the sealing member shown in Figs. 4 and. 5, excepting that the single hole I1, with which it is provided for receiving the upper end of a single can, is encircled by an annular flange I8 which is adapted to rest on the upper edge of a can corresponding to the can I4 of Fig. 6. The sealing member I6 is elastic and composed, preferably, of soft rubber, and it is adapted to snugly fit the periphery of a can just below the top thereof. The periphery of the sealing member I6 is circular, thin and flexible, and is adapted to snugly fit the inner wall of a circular chamber, not shown, whereby the air above the sealing member is prevented from passing below the sealing member I6 between the can and the chamber wall which encircles the can.

The annular flange I8, in addition to preventing frosting of the upper edge of the ice cream can, also supports the sealing member upon the can.

The upper side of the sealing member I6 is provided with an integral handle I9 by which it may be easily lifted from a can.

With the use of each form of my invention, ice cream which falls from a dipper, and would, otherwise, fall between the cans and the chamber wall, is caught upon the sealing member and recovered without loss or injury to it. Each sealing member, when used, effects a saving in the cost of refrigeration, saves the time of the dispenser, retains a sanitary condition, and holds the can encircled by it from shifting or tipping, and, due to its elasticity and resilience, it is adapted to snugly fit cans of different diameters and which have become irregular in form from hard usage.

By providing an integral sealing member of elastic compressible material, such as soft rubber, cracks and joints, through which air might pass or leakage occur, are eliminated, and the sealing member is adapted to be expanded to fit larger cans, or to be compressed at its edges so as to conform to the inner wall of a refrigerating chamber. By providing a relatively thin peripheral edge portion which is flexible and compressible, the sealing member is adapted to snugly flt irregular inner walls or chambers varying in diameters.

By locating the handle of the sealing member having the two holes between said holes, as shown in Figs. 2 and '7, the sealing member may be more readily detached from the cans.

I do not limit my invention to the structures shown and described, as many modifications, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:-

1. In a refrigerating apparatus, an elastic compressible sealing member having therethrough two holes adapted to respectively receive the upper end portions of two containers for ice cream or the like, said member being adapted to snugly embrace said end portions and having two annular flanges respectively encircling said holes and projecting inwardly beyond said embracing body portion of said member and adapted to respectively rest upon the upper edges of said containers, said member having an outwardly projecting relatively thin web or flange terminating in a flexible tapered margin adapted to conform to the inner wall of a chamber containing said containers, said member being adapted to hold said containers from movement relatively to each other and to said wall and to seal the space surrounding the containers.

2. In a refrigerating apparatus, in combination, a refrigerating chamber having an opening in its top and a compartment having parallel side and rounded concave end walls, and two open-topped containers of circular section in said chamber spaced from each other and from all of the walls of said compartment, an elastic compressible sealing member having two circular holes therethrough into which said containers extend, each of said holes having a wall formation which comprises a straight section of a depth to embrace a container over an extended area, and an inwardly directed top flange which rests upon and covers the upper edge of a container, said sealing member further having a laterally projecting relatively thin web terminating in a tapered margin, said web conforming to the contour of the side and end walls of said chamber compartment, whereby said containers are held against movement relative to each other and to said compartment and the space between said containers and the compartment walls is sealed.

RALPH F. CASTLE. 

